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One is the operation of the NSW branch, where candidates were selected quite late and campaign organisation was considered poor.

There also will be questions asked in Victoria where the Liberals failed to make big inroads against Labor, and a renewed crispness in relations with the party's Coalition partner, the Nationals.

First there will be recovery from the emotional turmoil of the 17 days following the five-week election campaign which failed to give Australia a government until yesterday.

Liberal figures, including Mr Abbott, were strongly hopeful of getting the backing of the independents early yesterday after Rob Oakeshott's six meetings with the Liberal leader the previous day.

The overwhelming feeling in the Abbott office yesterday, where MPs and staff watched the press conferences that announced their fate, was disappointment after winning more seats and 700,000 more primary votes than Labor.

"A negotiation is at times a bit of an emotional roller coaster and I certainly felt optimistic and pessimistic, I felt exhilarated and deflated in turns in the course of the last fortnight," Mr Abbott said.

"I'm not surprised that my colleagues sometimes did [as well] and I'm not surprised that occasionally something of their mood was communicated to the outside world."

Mr Abbott warned that the delicate balance in the House of Representatives might lead to an early election should the Gillard Government make a major error.

"How quickly we go back to an election depends entirely on the performance of this Government," he said.

"If the Government's performance is so manifestly deficient that it loses a vote of confidence in the House, then it is highly likely that we will have an election.

"It is entirely in the Government's hands and I certainly would not lightly move no confidence in the Government given the circumstances we are now in and I wouldn't expect people to lightly support such a motion."

Mr Abbott said he could not have asked for more support from colleagues and staff and the Liberal Party.

"The Coalition won more seats and more votes but sadly we did not get the opportunity to form a government," he said.

He wished Prime Minister Gillard well and said he hoped she had "a better government than it was over the last three years".

"For our country's sake, I hope that the Labor Party can rediscover the soul that has been so lacking, particularly over the last part of the previous parliament," Mr Abbott said.

He foreshadowed he would be challenging the Government wherever necessary, saying: "If the Government is seriously incompetent it should be gone as soon as possible, [but] if it is reasonably up to the mark, it should enjoy a full term."

Mr Abbott identified Labor's broadband policy, one of the factors which won independent Mr Windsor's support for Ms Gillard, as "an absolute minefield of waste and incompetence".

The Opposition Leader will also have to deal with a newly aggressive National Party, which will be tempted to take on Mr Windsor and Mr Oakeshott in their regional electorates.

NSW Nationals Senator Fiona Nash last night said the decision by the two independents, both former party colleagues, made little sense.

"Labor's sudden change of heart by offering $10 billion for regional Australia is a cynical attempt to win over the independents," she said

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Comments on this story

James Green of Melbourne Posted at 1:41 PM September 08, 2010

here is the truth about NBN
1. It will cost waaaay more then 43Bn... it will be minimum 55Bn, but most likely higher
2. NOT Every House will have FC cable connected to it (Labor admitted this). Specially in the country.
3. Fiber is now yesterday's technology. The speed of Copper now is FASTER then Fiber. Labor is at least 3 years in the past when FC technology was actually faster, but not any more.
Conclusion - NBN is complete waste of money when they could have been spend on Health, Country infrastructures and etc.
Shame Australia, shame!!!

Hoping to retire soon Posted at 1:25 PM September 08, 2010

Hey Bigles,who do you think benefits from the dividends on mining shares? Wouldn't be superannuation funds would it? You know, those funds which, unless you're a dole bludger, will help fund you in retirement. And if the mining companies make less profits, what do you think happens to their dividends, and therefore your super?
I can just picture you and your fellow labor stooges standing around in your Hi-vis jackets, thinking up bs like this whilst you're waiting for the union rep to tell you when your next 25 RDO's will roll around.

Alexis of Sydney Posted at 1:20 PM September 08, 2010

Windsor and Oakshot campaigned for 5 weeks against the Labor government, and then promptly joined it. Hypocracy is a wonderful thing, isn't it. Here we go for another 3 years of utter madness. Bargearse and the rabble will at least be entertining, but we will pay a dear price for the spectacle.

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